MLA protests to save Chirimiri, fierce demonstration in front of GM Office.
Dispatch News.
Koriya. To save the existence of Chirimiri, Manendragarh MLA Dr Vinay Jaiswal, along with his supporters, staged a dharna in front of the GM office of SECL on Monday. The MLA demanded the re-operation of the closed coal mines of the Chirimiri area.
MLA Dr Vinay Jaiswal said that the Kurasiya Open Cast Mines operating in the Chirimiri area were closed by issuing decree arbitrarily, while there is no problem in further excavation and sufficient amount of coal storage available on its surface. He said that the SECL management had promised to survey in its letter. He said that the government of India is selling the future of India to the industrialists.
During the protest, Chirmiri Mayor Kanchan Jaiswal, Chairman Gayatri Birha, senior leader Manjit Singh, Pradeep Pradhan, Shiv Maharana, women leader Shikha Soni, Ravi Birha, Inderjit Singh Chhabra, Block President Subhash Kashyap, MLA representative Shivansh Jain, senior labour leader Ram Avatar. The MLA has warned that the management should move forward to prevent the existence of Chirmiri, start taking appropriate and positive concrete action from the ground, otherwise there will be more violent agitation in future, whose entire responsibility will be of SECL management.
MLA unhappy with management’s response
Responding to the letter of SECL Chief General Manager Ghanshyam Singh a day ago, MLA Jaiswal has asked to take concrete steps to maintain the existence of Chirmiri. He said that information regarding adequate coal reserves and their proper exploitation in the Chirimiri area has been supplied through the letter. Due to the discovery of the Anjanhill underground mine, the mine was sealed off from October 24, 2010. Also, SECL has accepted that 2600 metric tonnes of coal are available in it. He said that this answer shows the mismanagement of Coal India. Tons of coal storage is available. The executives are not concerned about the existence of Chirmiri and its future; the management only pretends and makes no positive effort.
BJP has protested against mines survey
In the past, to save the existence of Chirmiri, BJP Chirmiri Mandal had demonstrated in front of the SECL office for conducting survey work of new mines in the SECL Chirimiri area for proper exploitation of coal reserves. Chief General Manager Ghanshyam Singh got the dharna ended by giving an assurance in writing to the BJP Mandal Chirmiri, who was staging the dharna.
